Mineral spring
Mineral springs are naturally occurring
Some mineral springs may contain significant amounts of harmful dissolved minerals, such as arsenic, and should not be drunk.[1][2] Sulfur springs smell of rotten eggs due to hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which is hazardous and sometimes deadly. It is a gas, and it usually enters the body when it is breathed in.[3] The quantities ingested in drinking water are much lower and are not considered likely to cause harm, but few studies on long-term, low-level exposure have been done, as of 2003[update].[4]
The water of mineral springs is sometimes claimed to have
Types
For many centuries, in Europe, North America, and elsewhere, commercial proponents of mineral springs classified them according to the chemical composition of the water produced and according to the medicinal benefits supposedly accruing from each:
- Arsenical springs contained arsenic
- lithium salts.
- Chalybeate springs contained salts of iron.
- Alum springs contained alum.
- Sulfur springs contained fumeroles).
- Salt (saline) springscontained salts of calcium, magnesium or sodium.
- Alkaline springs contained an alkali.
- Calcic springs contained lime (calcium hydroxide).
- Thermal (hot) springscould contain a high concentration of various minerals.
- soda water).
- .
Deposits
Types of
One light-colored porous calcite of this type is known as travertine and has been used extensively in Italy and elsewhere as building material. Travertine can have a white, tan, or cream-colored appearance and often has a fibrous or concentric 'grain'.
Another type of spring water deposit, containing
Chaybeate springs may deposit iron compounds such as limonite. Some such deposits were large enough to be mined as iron ore.
See also
- List of hot springs
- Sweet springs, those with no detectable sulfur or salt content
References
- ^ "Import Alert 29-02: Detention Without Physical Examination of Bottled Water due to Arsenic Due to Inorganic Arsenic". www.accessdata.fda.gov. FDA.
- ^ "Bottled water brand with high levels of arsenic pulled from store shelves". NBC News.
- Centers for Disease Control. December 2016.
- ^ "Hydrogen Sulfide in Drinking-water" (PDF). World Health Organization. 2003.
- Cohen, Stan (Revised 1981 edition), Springs of the Virginias: A Pictorial History, Charleston, West Virginia: Quarrier Press.
- LaMoreaux, Philip E.; Tanner, Judy T, eds. (2001), Springs and Bottled Water of the World: Ancient History, Source, Occurrence, Quality and use, Berlin / Heidelberg / New York: Springer-Verlag, ISBN 3-540-61841-4, retrieved 13 July 2010